[Disseminated sclerosis: diagnostic value of neurophysiological investigations (author's transl)]

Demyelinisation lesions of disseminated sclerosis actually present within the white matter are much more numerous than clinical manifestations would suggest that the majority of these lesions are clinically latent. Ophtalmologists were the first to seek a functional deficit reflecting the demyelinisation which so often affects the optic pathways. In practice, the recording of evoked visual potentials has proved to be the most reliable method. The brain stem is another region where demyelinisation lesions are frequent and quite often latent. Electronystagmography offers a highly sensitive means for the investigation of internuclear connections, whilst other authors use evoked auditory potentials. Similarly, evoked somaesthesic potentials make it possible to reveal lesions of the lemniscal tract.